Air pollution is defined as the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, which is harmful to human health and the environment as a whole. According to the World Health Organization (who), air pollution causes 7million deaths worldwide every year. Nine out of ten people breathe air pollution levels that exceed WHO guidelines, which are the worst in low - and middle-income countries.
People exposed to air pollution suffer from various health problems. Diseases such as pneumonia or bronchitis are examples of short-term effects. Nose, throat, eyes or skin will be irritated. Headache, dizziness and nausea are all symptoms of air pollution. The long-term consequences of air pollution can last for years or even a lifetime. They can even lead to the death of a person.
Now, a researcher at the University of Delaware has identified a strategy to reduce the impact of air pollution on our bodies by increasing people's regular consumption of vegetables such as celery, carrots, parsley and parsley.
In a new article published in the Journal of nutritional biochemistry, Jae kyeom Kim, assistant professor of behavioral health and nutrition, investigated how celery protects the body from acrolein accumulation. It is reported that acrolein is a kind of irritant that has a strong unpleasant smell to the lung and skin, and it is abundant in cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust.
Kim and his colleagues used a series of tests to study how the plant nutrient rich celery can alleviate the toxicity caused by acrolein. The results show that the oxidative stress caused by acrolein may be reduced and the consequences will be minimized.
"Kim's study found that celery supports detoxification by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes," trables said. "The results show that celery may provide protection against damage and inflammation caused by acrolein, because in the liver, vegetables strengthen the process of acrolein conversion to water-soluble acids for body excretion."
The next step is to determine a reasonable dose for humans. Next, Kim plans to integrate human intervention trials.
"When we calculated, we determined that the actual daily calorie intake of humans was about 1 and 1/3 cups," Kim pointed out. "The difference can be seen without a very high intake, and this is the amount that can be achieved in daily life."
Kim and his team emphasized the importance of implementing behavior changes in diet as a solution to combat the accumulation of poisons caused by air pollution.
Kim said: "the study found that all the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, rather than single nutrients, support the beneficial health results. Focusing on a healthy whole food diet has more impact than relying on individual supplements."